1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic network retrieval and display device that monitors a network connection state, automatically switches the networks to be connected in accordance with an established priority, and displays a result of retrieval of terminals on a connected network.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, in a case of connection to a wireless or wired network, such a connection is made to a network that has been registered previously as a network to be connected. In an alternative and known method, predetermined data are transmitted to and received from a repeater (server) on the network so as to examine the current communication state, and a network to be connected is decided based on the result, or notification to a user is conducted (see for example JP 2007-142859 A).
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a typical configuration of a conventional automatic network retrieval and display device. In FIG. 8, a reception terminal 101 is a terminal that controls a network, such as a server having a storage 102, and it administers communication information for all of the terminals on the network.
Each terminal is connected onto the network via a transmission/reception circuit 104, and, for examining the communication state of a network 103, a communication state examination packet creating circuit 105 creates periodically examination packets and communicates with respect to the reception terminal 101.
At the reception terminal 101, a reception arrival time and the number of errors are counted on the basis of the received examination packet, and responses are sent back to the respective terminals.
Each of the terminals inputs the returned examination packet information into a communication state display circuit 106 and displays the acquired information directly.
The above described is a conventional and typical method for network automated retrieval and display. However, in such a conventional network automated retrieval and display method, a terminal for transmission such as a repeater is required in order to transmit communication information for examination onto the network. Further, periodic communications like transmission of a packet used exclusively for displaying a communication state are required to keep track of the communication state. Furthermore, it is required to determine a network to connect preferentially in accordance with the reception result. Further, under a circumference where there is no repeater (server), it is impossible to keep track of the communication state of the network.